6 new technologies that are the future of construction

Thanks to new technologies, the construction world is now safer and more efficient than ever before. But the world doesn’t stand still for long – more new innovations are on the way that will deliver even more benefits to construction managers, workers and stakeholders. These new developments are all about to change the face of the construction industry, helping you to deliver cost-effective, time-efficient and high-quality builds.

1. Virtual reality

Virtual reality is slowly becoming a more mainstream tool in the construction world, and it’s particularly useful in the planning and design stages of a project. Using virtual reality, it’s possible to create an immersive, 4D virtual model of your design, which can then be demonstrated to clients.

Virtual reality provides a more engaging way to communicate design ideas, allowing stakeholders to be more involved in the process, and to better understand what the final product will look like. Any need for tweaks or refinements can be spotted in the early stages before construction begins, and if you have practical constraints such as limited site access, virtual reality is a great way to work around them.

2. Augmented reality

While virtual reality enables project managers to demonstrate the look and feel of a new build, augmented reality takes the experience one step further, allowing visitors to physically ‘walk through’ a virtual building, equipped with an augmented reality headset, and interact with it in real time. Although the technology is still in its infancy, augmented reality is a tool that will be used more and more in future construction.

3. BIM visualisation

Building Information Modelling (BIM) visualisation helps project managers to identify issues early by offering detailed 3D visualisations of potential builds. Used in conjunction with augmented reality it will be a superior visualisation tool, making it easier for designers to model and plan finer details. For example, by using BIM visualisation and augmented reality to model the amount of sunlight coming into a building, architects will be able to maximise energy efficiency.

4. Mixed reality

Yet another new way to visualise construction projects, mixed reality combines real-life views with virtual representations, using hard hat-mounted technology. By incorporating augmented reality views into a real-world observation of the site, it’s possible to monitor progress by comparing actual work completed against the project plans.

5. Wearable technology

We’ve seen how virtual headsets can aid visualisation, but that’s not the only application for hard hat-mounted hardware. Wearable technology can also be used to monitor the progress of individual workers and improve safety. For example, wearable gadgets can identify potential dangers and even alert a supervisor when an accident has happened.

6. Artificial intelligence (AI)

Artificial intelligence solutions can be employed in a number of ways to optimise performance. They can identify the most efficient ways to deliver a project and assign tasks for maximum productivity, even adapting to unforeseen circumstances such as employee absence.

AI can also be used to identify potential issues before they arise, scanning data on similar past projects to predict likely outcomes. And its application doesn’t end when construction is completed; AI can be employed to monitor the condition of the building throughout its lifetime.

Time to update your skills?

It’s important for construction managers to stay ahead of the game and take full advantage of the latest technologies. Brush up your knowledge and skills with our courses on emerging technology.